The Fan-Cam Files: WWF @ Reno, NV – 01.23.1993

Last time on the Fan-Cam Files, we took a trip to Worcester, MA on the Road to WrestleMania VIII, and mostly had a dull time with the exception of the Main Event. Today, we’re stopping off at the Lawlor Events Center in Reno, NV,  just 24 hours away from the 1993 Royal Rumble to be held at the Arco Arena in Sacramento, CA (Razor Ramon got their ahead of time to enjoy the home team defeat the GOD AWFUL Minnesota Timberwolves in a tight 113-108 result). The Kings weren’t world beaters or anything, leaving with a 15-22 record and bottoming out for a final 25-57). Both looked like playoff contenders compared to the 11-71 Dallas Mavericks, but here I am, going off on 1992-93 NBA instead of talking about the WWF.

This isn’t our first trip to January of 1993 (that being the Headlock on Hunger SuperShow from MSG on January 29th), and I’m sure it won’t be our last, with at least one notable show that I haven’t covered yet. For this time period, we’re likely to have two tours running (and MAYBE a rare third for stuff like local fundraiser shows), but there was a scheduled show for Albuquerque, NM that was canceled. They did run La Cruce on January 22nd, but no results are available, just advertised matches of Boss Man vs Bam Bam Bigelow, Money Inc vs The Nasty Boys for the Tag Team Titles, and Bret Hart vs Ric Flair for the WWF Title. Only Flair is advertised to appear on this card, and good news, it looks like nothing is missing, though a couple of prelim matches are clipped down.

Jim Powers vs. The Predator:
It’s astounding that Young Jimmy Powers hung around with the WWF for about a decade and never improved. Same “here we go” play to the crowd, same 3-4 basic sequences. You could check in on him from 1984 and 1994 and he’s going to give you the absolute same, basic prelim stuff. I guess there’s worse things than being complacent. Speaking of worse, here we have a masked Horace Hogan, getting some reps for whatever reason, maybe a favor for Hulk coming back to save the day. Whatever the reason, he was on the road for 6-8 weeks early in the year, then came back briefly in the Summer, including being part of their tour of Europe that ended up as Hulk’s final appearances for the WWF until 2002.

I pretty much gave the game away, because we’re getting the typical Jim Powers opening match. Predator Bollea (I might need to workshop that one for future references) with some fine heel schtick, complaining that Powers not only pulled the tights, but the mask as well, and both at the same time! He even busts out the “I’m smart, so I’m pointing to my head before getting comeuppance” routine. Powers works the arm and controls most of the way, outmaneuvering Predator with relative ease. Things turn around for our masked brother, and things slow down with a chin-lock that is clipped down. Powers escapes, but Predator cuts him off and hits a slam/elbow combo for two. Another chin-lock and edit, with Powers making the big comeback. Not chicanery here, as he runs off a series of blows, catches Predator with a running knee, and finishes with a sloppy powerslam at 8:25 (shown). Technically fine, and hey, I like my prelim heels doing prelim heel schtick, so thank you for doing that instead of just hiding in the ropes. Who knows how much time was chewed from each chin-lock, but I can safely call this a reasonably decent opener. **

“The Rocket” Owen Hart vs. Headshrinker Samu (w/ Fatu):
Interesting to see this as a singles match instead of a tag team match, since we got High Energy vs the Headshrinkers the day before in Denver, and Fatu made the trip on the way to the Rumble. Days are numbered for High Energy, splitting up a few weeks before WrestleMania IX, and Koko removed from TV until making a short-lived return in the Spring the following year. The Headshrinkers are the number two heel team on the depth chart, clearly behind Money Inc. but way ahead of the Beverly Brothers, though they don’t have much going on as far as a TV program goes. They were originally penciled in for a run against the Natural Disasters, but cut short when Earthquake was taken off the road in mid-December for reasons unknown, but more on that later.

Owen immediately makes me cringe, doing a gesture that implies the Headshrinkers might be simians. Also, those parachute pants. Owen gets to work in the old Stomp ‘n’ Clap to get the crowd going, a popular Blue Blazer routine. Unfortunately, this match is mostly lost, as we join it in progress with Samu in control of a chin-lock. Owen escapes and comes off the ropes with a sunset flip, but Samu quickly regains control, laying out Owen with a Super-Kick and dropping a leg across the midsection. Owen avoids a dive into the corner, and hits Samu with a dropkick, followed by a spinning heel kick. Fatu pops up on the apron, only to get knocked down. Owen continues running wild, but his trip to the top rope is cut-off, with Fatu straddling him across the buckle, and Samu finishes with a super-plex at 3:21 (shown). A solid sequence to end a match, but clearly not enough here to properly rate, so we’ll just move on to our next match. NR

Earthquake vs. Yokozuna (w/ Mr. Fuji):
It’s a Colossal Jostle! Battle of the Bulk! Yokozuna is still relatively new to the TV audience (yes, 3 months in this era is still new), having barely been tested by anyone with a name, and an odds-on favorite to win the Royal Rumble Match due to his size and the fact that nobody has been able to even knock him off his feet. Earthquake’s time with the WWF is rapidly coming to an end. After about two weeks of shows putting over the Headshrinkers, the Disasters stopped appearing as a team following a stop in LaCrosse on December 13th. Earthquake wouldn’t appear again until January 22nd in Denver, and would depart following TV on January 25th in San Jose. He would return the following year, but the run was short-lived.

Yokozuna does his Sumo ritual and Quake responds by making the ground shake. We get the face-to-face and shoving contest that comes from it. Quake uses his speed (… work with me here) to avoid Yokozuna’s advances and stagger him with a pair of shoulder blocks. Three clotheslines from Earthquake knock Yokozuna to one knee, but that’s all for our beloved big man from British Columbias, as Yokozuna pops him with an elbow and knocks him off his feet with a single shoulder block, followed up with a leg drop. Yoko with an Irish whip into the corner, Fuji smacks Quake on the foot to draw his attention, allowing Yoko to crush him with an avalanche and finish with the Banzai Drop at 3:03. Quite the impressive victory for our new monster heel. These two worked a similar match that was taped in San Jose, released on the Coliseum Video “Invasion of the Bodyslammers.” Hard to rate a match so short, but this satisfied the needs of what it set out to do. **½

Handicap Match: The Undertaker (w/ Paul Bearer) vs. The Beverly Brothers:
The match advertised on the marquee lists The Undertaker vs. Papa Shango, but Mr. Shango was nursing a shoulder injury, and missed some dates, but was able to get in and out of the 1993 Rumble Match in about 30-seconds as the first man eliminated. There’s no TV angle to explain this house show marriage (Taker vs. Shango), with Taker waiting for something new with the sudden departure of Nailz in mid-December. We established earlier that the Beverly Brothers were at the bottom of the tag team depth chart, and being fed in a 2-v-1 scenario, under any circumstances, is never a good sign of your value. They don’t even have the Genius anymore, last serving as their manager at the 1992 Survivor Series.

The Beverly Brothers with the jump, Taker quickly shrugs them off and hits a double chokeslam (that could have looked better, but how often were these guys working with each other?). Blake takes the rope-walk clothesline but manages to avoid an elbow drop and clotheslines Taker to the floor, where Beau greets him with a chair shot and an involuntary trip into the steps. Back inside, the Bevs hit a double suplex and drop a flurry of elbows, with Taker sitting up immediately after. Blake is knocked out of the ring, Taker runs through Beau, and the Tombstone finishes at 3:21. Short and sweet, Taker got all his signature stuff in, and that’s all you can ask in a situation like this. **

Bob Backlund vs. The Berzrker:
It was about time we came across a match I know is doomed before the opening bell. Bob Backlund returned in the Fall of ‘92, an 8-year hiatus from the WWF and frequently inactive in general in that span. He’s doing an old-timer’s “looking for one last shot at glory” run, and boy, oh boy, does he feel out of place in this WWF. Berzerker is pretty much done with the company, lingering as an under-card nothing that was losing to everyone in Prime Time exclusives to close out 1992, and would work his final date on the February 1st taping of Monday Night Raw, working a Battle Royal that was “won” by Razor Ramon (the final eliminations executed by non-participant, the Giant Gonzales).

Backlund offers the handshake, which goes unaccepted. Shocked, I know. He frustrates the Berzerker early on, avoiding lockups and picking the leg, giving him a chance to do his leg splits spot. Berzerker calls for a test-of-strength, and we wait. We wait, and we wait, and we wait even longer. After FOUR MINUTES, we finally lock hands, and Berzerker controls. He cuts off the comeback, slamming Backlund… and then just lets him up to a neutral position, ready to lockup again. HUH?! Backlund with a hip toss, slam and dropkick, knocking Berzerker out of the ring. Bobby gets hung up on the top rope, and now it’s time for a bearhug! Backlund escapes, but is quickly caught again! We go for a third, but Backlund counters with a Thesz Press and that ends this mess at 12:46. There was maybe 30-seconds worth of decent action here, otherwise it was effortless time wasting and two guys with negative chemistry. I try to limit handing out star ratings, but 90’s Bob Backlund is running away with most of them. -*

Mr. Perfect vs. Ric Flair:
Speaking of guys wrapping up their time in the company, we’ve already taped Ric Flair losing to Perfect on Monday Night Raw with the stipulation that the loser leaves the WWF, and Flair would continue working live events into the second week of February following their tour of Europe. Mr. Perfect spent all of 1992 as Ric Flair’s executive consultant, nursing a back injury that flared up in the Summer of ‘91, and was brought back to the ring as a late-replacement for the Ultimate Warrior at Survivor Series, turning babyface in a very unique way; he’s very confident in himself and doesn’t appreciate being treated as a lesser-than by Flair and Razor Ramon, and took the offer from Savage just to prove a point, rather than being this valiant hero.

Flair opens with his usual schtick, and the two trade shoves and slaps. Perfect gets the better of some chain wrestling, sending Flair for a powder. Back inside, Perfect continues to frustrate Flair, having a response for everything. Flair goes after the knee, briefly stunning Perfect, but a chop exchange goes in Perfect’s favor until he gets sucked into taking a thumb to the eye. The action spills to ringside, with Flair sending Perfect into the steps, but a chair shot is prevented by Earl Hebner, who must have taken notes after watching the Beverly Brothers get away with it earlier in the show.

Back inside, Perfect runs hot again, blasting Flair with a forearm for two. He meets the post in the corner, allowing Flair to take control and meticulously work the arm… using the ropes for extra leverage, of course. Perfect escapes by unloading with rights, but Flair cuts him off with a boot to the midsection and grabbing a sleeper. Perfect charges into the corner, smashing Flair’s face into the turnbuckle to break, and a trip to the top rope goes as well as expected for him. Perfect with the Figure-Four applied, and quick side-note… what is the deal with the referee kicking the hand of the heel off the ropes, but then going “OK, now you need to break it” when they get to the rope a second time? Anyway, Perfect keeps pushing the pace, taking Flair out of the corner with a back body-drop and hitting the rolling snap mare. Perfect gets dumped, but comes in from the apron with a sunset flip (and yank of the trunks) for two. Whip to the ropes, Flair sets for a back body-drop, but Perfect counters with the Perfect-Plex for three at 14:53. Took a little time to get going, especially the lengthy work of the arm in the middle, but they had a hot final few minutes and gave us the clean finish version they were running on the houses (in some cases, it was a DQ finish with Razor Ramon doing the run-in). ***

WWF Intercontinental Championship Match:
Shawn Michaels (c) vs. Marty Jannetty:
Our final match of the afternoon, and one we have on the books for the following afternoon in Sacramento for the Royal Rumble. Jannetty made his surprise return to the WWF in October ‘92, reigniting his rivalry with his former partner, and during the melee, poor Sensational Sherri was smacked across the head with a mirror. On replay, it was clear that Shawn had pulled her in front of him to take the blow, but I don’t think he’s going to acknowledge any wrongdoing. Sherri is advertised to make her return at the Royal Rumble, and it is speculated on which corner she will be in. It also messes up whatever rhythm they might have, as the matches they are doing around the horn do not involve Sherri… among other issues with their match on the PPV, but that’s a story for another day.

Marty rushes the ring and Shawn wisely bails, leading him on a chase around the ring. It’s a hot opening sequence, with Marty in full control, hitting Shawn with a clothesline and running knee before sending him over the top rope with an atomic drop. Marty quickly follows, but goes to the well once too often and is sent crashing into the post. Shawn with a sneaky play, moving a chair from ringside for the referee to fetch, and with the distraction, drops Jannetty’s midsection across another chair on the opposite ringside area.

Back inside, Michaels punishes the midsection, locking in an abdominal stretch and smacking the ribs for some added damage. Marty attempts a counter, but Shawn hooking the rope causes Marty to crumble to the canvas. Shawn gets a little sloppy, casually going for a slam and allowing Marty to surprise him with a small package for two. A third abdominal stretch doesn’t pay off, as Jannetty spins out and lays Michaels out with a clothesline.

Shawn’s the one too aggressive now, charging into an elbow in the corner, then smacking his shoulder on the post. Jannetty unloads with rights and sends Shawn into the corner, taking the Harley Race bump to the outside. Back in the ring, Shawn ducks a clothesline but is caught on the rebound with a powerslam. Marty’s flying fist drop is avoided, but Jannetty lands on his feet in time and plants Shawn with a DDT for a near-fall. Shawn counters the mounted corner punches with an inverted atomic drop, but a Super-Kick whiffs and Jannetty hits his own for two. Shawn gets sent into the post with a slingshot, but has enough in him to avoid a cross body press, causing Marty to smack his ribs on the turnbuckle, and Shawn covers to retain at 11:40. I like the idea of the injured ribs coming into play for the finish, but Jannetty going for a body press in the corner seems a bit odd, and no, it didn’t look like a monkey-flip, his body was angled. Still, a very good match that seemed like a tease of what to expect at the Royal Rumble, but with some spotty selling before the finish, but that’s a problem you could identify with most matches, I suppose. ***½

Strength of Card: Above Average. We know the lack of star power as we chug along through the mid-90’s, and we’re still doing split crew tours unless special circumstances come into play. Still, you have a great one-two punch on top with two of the most heavily featured storylines on TV in Perfect vs. Flair, and Michaels vs Jannetty. There’s also solid showcases for The Undertaker and Yokozuna, though the result of at least one of them was never in doubt.

Highs: The top matches on the card delivered in quality, and we got a bunch of clean finishes, which almost seems impossible for the era! When the stuff on top delivers, then the rest of the show can stink and you’ll still feel like you got your value for the price of admission.

Lows: Bob Backlund stinks up the ring for an untelevised event, which comes as no surprise, and the Berzerker wasn’t giving him anything to work with either.

Final Thoughts: Ignoring the aforementioned stinker between Backlund and Berzerker, this was a solid 80 minutes of action, with some quality clarity in the footage, a double main event that delivered both in the ring and with reasonable finishes, and there’s fun underneath, like Yokozuna crushing Earthquake, The Undertaker taking the Beverly Brothers to the boneyard, and even Jimmy Powers had a decent match with Terry Bollea’s masked nephew! Definitely worth checking out as a fan of that transition period out of the Hulkamania Golden Era where it seemed like universes were blending together and we weren’t quite sure what the new direction was going to be.